Regardless of what cables I used with the MK3, the difference between stock hiFace and MK3 was so huge as to make it difficult hearing any similarities between the two. With the MK3 playback was bigger, bolder and more dramatic but also smoother, less aggressive and edgy.............. More Reviews

John Kenny modded M2Tech HiFace MK2

Think your computer transport sounds pretty good, huh? Think again. John Kenny's battery-modded Hiface will take it to a whole new level.

..........If you're a dedicated computer audiophile - with either a Windows PC or a Mac as transport - you NEED this device. Live with it for only a few hours and it renders the standard USB output as dead from the neck down. As evidenced by my own experimenting with a variety of DACs, your mileage will indeed vary, but I struggled to find a DAC that didn't justify the asking price. I thought about tagging this battery-powered Hiface as "highly recommended" but it's better than that - instead, I have to go with "essential". Got computer? Get this.................. More Reviews

Going the battery route clearly alters the sound in terms of becoming warmer and richer, with an overall more organic and 'substantial' sound while still retaining all the positives of the stock M2Tech. You still the 'tinkle' but with more decay and air… the 'tinkle-ness' now sits more 'among the group' as opposed to standing out from the crowd. The Upgraded M2Tech presents music with a greater sense of density and heft….........More Reviews

JOHN KENNY MODIFIED HiFace

USB 24/192 COMPUTER INTERFACE

StereoMojo. An extract from the conclusion "The Mk1 modded HiFace didn't just give good performance for PC based sound - it gave good performance, period. I was lucky enough for John to also loan me a Mk1 again with the Mk2 so I could directly compare one to the other. Well, when I tried the Mk1, I remembered quite well the original sound - clear highs, tight lows and a really good clarity. I listened like that for a few days. Then I swapped in the Mk2. Now I could see why John was excited about the new mods: yes, there is a definite improvement with the Mk2. So what changed? Well, the space and resolution around individual instruments and singers was improved, which led to a much better appreciation of the soundstage. Better depth, width and height were readily apparent. I could detect no downsides to this: there was no trace of any kind of glare or harshness, listening fatigue never set it."...................More Reviews

User's Comments:

John, just a minireview of the JKDAC32 that arrived safely 2,5 weeks ago.I am very pleased with it even without a complete burn in.It is the most involving DAC I have heard so far.The overall presentation is relaxed,but never dull. Female voices in particular are rendered exquisitely due to a glorious midrange and ultrasweet treble .Macrodetail level and soundstage depth/width are on par with my Metrum Octave

When used on a DAC such as the ESS Sabre based AudioGD NFB-10 ES, the mk3 transport literally floored me with not only the magnitude, but also the range of improvements. I cannot think of another way to spend 330 Euro that will net this kind of improvement in audio quality.

MK3 Since this is my first foray into computer audio, I don't have a reference point to compare the sound with, other than my existing audio system. I use a CEC TL51X belt driven CD transport playing into Bel Canto DAC 3/ Bel Canto preamp/ Pass Lab First Watt F4 clones/ Audio Note AN/E speakers. In A B comparisons with FLAC files ripped to my laptop and played back via your unit, the FLAC files sounded slightly better than the CDs. The FLAC files were a touch more dynamic and sounded slightly better at the frequency extremes, bass was a touch deeper, better defined and had more impact, whilst the treble was more detailed, cymbals sounded more realistic.

Still wanted to let you know my impression of the sound of the hiface mk3. Although it sounded much better at arrival over the stock hiface it took some time before it was completly burned in. Have been playing it every day for a few hours over a month and only last week i felt notting in the sound really changed.

When i compare it with the stock hiface the mk3 does everything better. I can not mention one aspect of the sound that isn’t better with the mk3. For me the most drastic changes were on the aspect of depth and transparancy. This all making my sound more realistic and enjoyable.

Music playback on my laptop with the MK3 is smoother, more coherent and has a more relaxed, easy flow than through any CDP or transport I have tried. Haven't tried JPlay yet. I'm quite happy with JRMC at the moment.

From user: John: I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying the MK3! It is fabulous. I have been using it with my Macbook Pro, with several DACs (PSAudio Perfectwave, Centrance DacMini, Burson, Benchmark DAC-1 HDR)--it sounds superb with all and is a significant step up over the USB inputs on each, with a very smooth sound--extended highs, tight bass and very nice soundstage.